This invention relates to air duct fittings and air duct assemblies employing the fittings.
A variety of specialized metal, air flow duct fittings have been developed in recent years. These are especially suited to hot air discharge from clothes dryers. The flexible air discharge duct from clothes dryers is typically four inches in diameter. Yet, the fittings for the dryer outlet to the duct and the duct to the wall tailpipe often require substantially more spacing than this, especially if the dryer outlet and tailpipe are relatively close together, as shown for example in FIG. 16. The fittings are typically of metal. Further, although the novel fittings can be employed in combination with flexible polymeric hose or rigid pipe, they are preferably used in combination with flexible metal duct for safety and convenience.
The fittings which have been developed over recent years include the offset elbow of U.S. Pat. No. D 342,130, and close elbow of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,158,328 and D 342,782. A close elbow is commonly used for a flush connection. An offset elbow is commonly used for an offset connection. Other fittings include a short periscope and a scissor adapter. These fittings are highly advantageous and are in widespread use by clothes dryer manufacturers and installers. Unfortunately, installers never know what conditions they will find until they get to the home, so they must take several fittings of various types with them.
There is need in this field or industry for a fitting that could replace at least some of these prior fittings, to minimize manufacturing, inventory and separate storage and stocking of multiple types of fittings, to minimize the number of fittings installers must carry, and to lessen the installation time required. There is also a need for such a special fitting which would enable a dryer to be placed only just slightly more than four inches from the wall, even if the dryer outlet and the wall tailpipe are close together.
An object of this invention is to fill these needs, i.e., replace at least some of the variety of prior type fittings, to thereby minimize manufacturing inventory and separate storage and stocking of multiple type fittings, to minimize installers inventory, require less installation time, and enable a dryer to be placed just slightly more than four inches from the wall when accommodating a four inch dryer outlet duct.
The novel fitting has a rectangular cross section duct segment and a round cross section duct segment, both having a central axis, and a transition rectangle-to-round segment between them. The central axes of the rectangular segment and the round segment are laterally offset from each other but parallel to each other, and the rectangular segment has a lateral opening, the rectangular section being dimensioned preferably about two inches by six inches in dimension to have substantially equal air flow to that of the standard round segment four inches in diameter, by maintaining about the same cross section area of about twelve square inches.
The component may be used singly or doubly in an air duct assembly.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.